In The Eyes of A Shadow
by Yudoku Kabe-no-Hana
Summary: A compilation of SasuHina one shots that I've written in the midst of my inspirational drought.
1. Something About Us

**Something About Us**

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**Summary: It's hard to keep composure when the one thing that means the most to you is slipping through your fingers. For Uchiha Sasuke it's now or never in this dark and smoky night club.**

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The dark room had filled with smoke, a stench that nearly choked Sasuke each time he took a breath.

The rooms only light was the various shades of blue and red being pumped from the stage in flashes following the song that was currently playing through the speakers near the stage.

He sat alone at an empty table, drumming his fingers on the tabletop as his eyes glided around the room, settling on a group of girls who were dancing.

Among the masses of people grinding on each other in unceremonious ways, his eyes landed on just one female and his heart hurt.

He was never one for dance clubs, something about all the people being so close together made him uncomfortable and with that thought he shuddered as he watched a young couple grapple at each other's clothes.

Teenagers had no control over their hormones, it was disgusting.

He wanted to leave, every part of his brain said to go but he knew he couldn't.

There was a very special reason why he was here, why the entire group was here and that thought drew his attention back to the one speck of light in the dull room.

Her hair seemed nearly pitch black on the poorly lit dance floor but he knew her shade of midnight blue all too well.

The small form moved in tune with the blaring music and she transitioned flawlessly between songs, almost in slow motion it seemed, her curves and assets accentuated with every turn and sway her hips made.

The girls around her didn't dare compare, they weren't even playing the same game as she.

Her back was turned to him for most of the show but when she turned, her wide white eyes were bright and shining.

She loved to dance, Hinata loved everything about dancing and he'd always loved to watch her do it.

Hyuuga Hinata.

His best friend since childhood, the love of his life.

She was leaving for college, they all were but Hinata was leaving for Europe tomorrow.

She had been accepted into her "dream" program at her "dream" school.

Sasuke would never take that away from her but he couldn't help the pang in his heart as he watched the sleepy smile on her face as her hips shifted in sensual circles, her arms above her head and her eyes closed.

She felt music, she lived it, her entire being was composed of music but no one knew that except Sasuke.

It was most likely the reason why her leaving pissed him off so much.

Her "dream" program wasn't her dream at all, it was her father's dream.

Hinata loved dancing and music, nothing touched her soul the way music did and all her life her father had pushed her into bioengineering and like the soft hearted person she was- she allowed it.

Sasuke and Hinata had grown up together so they were basically siblings and he knew she felt that way about him, nothing more.

He never realized his feelings until freshman year when she started dating.

Mostly because her first boyfriend was his best friend Naruto, and it took every fiber of his being to not incapacitate every single one of the men that broke her heart.

He stayed quiet and in the background, the best friend and nothing more.

People always joked about how great they would be together.

Sai would say something ridiculous about sexual tension but Sasuke never gave it a second thought.

Even Ino and Tenten would whisper that there was something between them but at the end of the day he was just her best friend.

At times he would entertain the idea of telling her or even acting on impulse but the repercussions scared him.

Losing her was probably the only thing that scared him.

He had always hid his feelings for her in fear of losing her and here they were.

In less than 24 hours she would be on a plane to Europe to live a completely different life.

How could he live with that?

How could he live with not knowing about the _something_ that was rumored to be between them?

The melody slowed down in his ears, a new song played. A song he knew, one of their favorites. Daft Punk.

The funky rhythm began and he took a deep breath as he watched the dark haired Goddess just a few feet in front of him.

She never danced with anyone, not a guy or girl, she had her own moves but sometimes she looked so lonely dancing on her own.

She looked like she needed a partner.

The mental battle was beginning to annoy him, he was always so calm and levelheaded.

Even while hiding his feelings their entire friendship he was cool about it and here he watched her, his heart racing in his chest, his feet itching to move closer to her.

The impulse took over,

His feet moved as his eyes remained trained on the woman's hair swaying back and forth, trailing only moments behind her movements.

In that moment, he became one of those hormonally controlled teenager that he despised, and he couldn't care less.

All he wanted was to bask in the scent of her hair, feel their bodies touching for once and taste her mouth, her skin and everything in between.

Sasuke's hand touched her hip and he pulled her close, ripping her from her dream and causing pale white orbs to stare up at him in surprise.

His other hand snaked its way into her hair.

He gripped the soft mess tightly in his fingers, and his lips moved toward hers as inky black depths stared into a white infinity.

He crossed the painstaking distance, her back still pulled flush against him and her eyes still wide with wonder.

He felt her knees tremble as she melted into him.

His lips moved against hers and his hand still fisted into her hair to keep her from escaping.

Neither of them knew what was occurring but it seemed like the something that was always nothing really was something.

He wouldn't know it but the knowing smiles around the pair had formed and they slowly sashayed away.

They were proud that the pair had finally seen what was there but a few couldn't help but wonder the consequences.

After Sasuke pulled away his lips tingled and he felt a complete and utter loss from the lack of her own satin lips against his own.

He felt her shiver as he let go of her hair and flexed his fingers, willing the blood to circulate once again.

A few moments passed and his free hand slid down her back to her other hip as he opened his eyes.

Hinata's dreamy expression filling him with content.

Although the rational part of his brain reminded him of her impending flight, his control returned and he shoved the thought aside as he began to guide her hips in rhythm of their favorite song.

She followed his movements for a few seconds, the fog in her mind finally beginning to clear.

She quickly fell into her own dance, leading him into a familiar routine.

Hinata's eyes had closed and she fell into step once more, she leaned into his strong form.

Her hands covered his own and she moved left, left, right, right and he followed suit.

Both of them taking in the slow melody that had invaded their senses completely.

Sasuke had closed his eyes at some point, reveling in the feel of her backside pressed against him, her small hands covering his own, her midnight hair brushing across his chest.

Even after their song ended, they stayed there together merely swaying side to side in the same rhythm to any song that played.

The pair seemed so out of tune with the music but those who knew, simply decided that they were playing a song of their own.

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_It might not be the right time, _

_I might not be the right one_

_But there's something about us I want to say, _

_Cause there's something between us anyway. _

_- Something About Us, Daft Punk._


	2. Sparks Fly

**Sparks Fly**

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**Summary: Sasuke just wanted to enjoy the silent summer semester without his ridiculous roommate and now here he has to listen to garbage pop music all summer… well, at least she's got a cute butt.**

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Uchiha Sasuke lazily padded down the empty dorm hallway. The summer had begun so it was expected that many of the students had gone home to their families for the break. The co ed dorms were usually loud and quite the headache for him so the silence was quite welcomed.

Although, it was almost so quiet that he nearly thought he was the only one still on campus however as he neared his door, keys ready, his ears were assaulted by the god awful sound of upbeat pop music, something he hated. A high pitched voice accompanied the fast tempo and was led by a repetitive drum beat and guitar riff. Now, Sasuke was no music major but he certainly knew an overused chord when he heard one.

The music was coming from the door across the hall of his own room, he was positive that it was some freshman girl. Who else would be bold enough to listen to this blather at full blast? He resigned himself to letting it play itself out, hopefully she would cut the crap soon enough and Sasuke could get some much needed rest now that his magpie roommate was gone for the duration of the break.

Opening his door, he spared one last glance toward the preteen party across his room and proceeded to his bed.

It was only about fifteen minutes after that when Sasuke had begun plotting ways of going across the hall and shutting the nuisance up. He was also fairly certain this ridiculous person kept playing the same song on repeat, he couldn't make out all of the words but something about sparks flying.

He gagged.

A love song, the poor sap must be delusional.

Now, what would he arm himself with? A book? A lamp? No, no, he should handle this like an adult. Respectfully knock on the door and request that he or she simply keep it down and that despite his or her assumption, there _are_ other people in this building.

The repeated song grew louder as he neared the door, he wished he was back in his bedroom, safe from the cacophony of drum beats that had slowly eased its way into his brain in the form of a headache.

He knocked.

No answer.

He knocked once more, banged really.

His normally thin string of patience was fraying at the edges.

Another knock, steam was practically pouring out of his ears.

He knew the song wouldn't end for another minute or so as he had practically memorized the rehashed chorus and bridge.

His hand reached for the door knob and twisted it slightly. Unlocked? Of course, why not.

This person thinks there's no one else on campus. Still, he or she should be a little more cautious because in reality there still might be guys like him roaming these halls. He swung the door open, the bright room opened up before him and gave way to quite the sight that stole his attention.

Two beds, he had noted at first, two desks, two chairs and one girl.

One girl.

One shirt.

No pants.

He didn't even hear the wretched song anymore, his attention centered on this girl who had her back to the door. She swayed her hips side to side in rhythm of the music, the infernal song had tortured him for the last 30 minutes and now here he was, his mind practically begging for it never to stop, only if it meant this dark haired beauty would dance forever. Her midnight blue hair swayed with her body, revealing the swells of her behind covered with orange cotton boy shorts.

He didn't mean to stare but, well. Hello? He was a guy after all.

In the back of his mind he knew the song would be ending soon, he didn't have enough time to make a plan. He did have enough time to assess how the situation seemed, he looked like this freak pervert who watched girls dance in their undies when they thought no one was around. That's exactly what this was!

He frowned as the song came to a close, the final chord struck on the guitar that gradually faded away causing the girl before him to strike her own pose. Legs spread, hands in the air, she silently thanked her invisible fans and gave a great bow. Another view of her perfectly rounded cheeks.

Sasuke coughed, a sad excuse for a blush creeping into his cheeks.

The girl whirled around to face him, her entire being had turned beet red. She hustled to the laptop sitting on her desk, connected to the speakers beside it, to pause the music before it started again.

Her embarrassment of being caught listening to lovey pop music overshadowing the embarrassment of being caught half undressed. Or perhaps was it that she forgot?

She was staring at him, nervousness had settled into him as he stared back, was she going to strike?

She had pale skin that nearly glowed, her eyes would have matched perfectly if it weren't for the lavender tint they held. Her dark hair cascaded down her back, no longer swaying to the music with the rest of her. Her KU shirt had the school symbol on it and _Konoha University_ written across her chest, the rest of her body disappeared beneath the baggy shirt, save for her thick hips and short pale legs.

He must have stared too long because her already wide eyes went wider, a squeal escaped her lips and she scrambled toward her bed, wrapping herself in the blanket.

The awkward silence had settled in.

With another straggled cough, Sasuke finally looked away and toward her desk, noting a picture of her next to a blonde male, both wearing KU colors and she sporting a shy smile.

The man looked familiar, tearing himself from his thoughts he moved to break the tension, he had spent far too long in this room.

"Keep it down in here... please." he muttered before turning quickly to the door.

He felt her eyes burning into the back of his shirt, he wished he could laugh at the situation but there was nothing funny about his reaction just now.

He had lost it, the calm and collected Uchiha Sasuke crashed under the mere sight of this girl. An adult woman who spent her summers listening to bad pop music and dancing in her underwear, a woman who was so embarrassed by the fact she was caught listening to the music she also forgot that she wasn't wearing pants. The small squeal she made played over in his head.

About an hour later he was finally able to laugh, not much of a laugh but more of a smirk. Two things had hit him: The man in the picture was none other than his idiot roommate, Uzumaki Naruto, and the petite dancer had fully grasped his attention.

The game had begun.


	3. Injection Rejection

**Injection Rejection**

**Summary: Hinata has a phobia, one that could end her career as a shinobi but Sasuke has a temporary band aid to slap over the docile beauty's fears.**

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A wailing scream pierced through the empty hospital hallways, decibels nearly high enough to shatter glass. The source? None other than the dear sweet and shy Hyuuga Hinata. The girl who had barely spoken her entire life; even now, years after the fourth shinobi war, she was still quiet as a mouse. Today was an exception. Today she was sitting before Haruno Sakura, the head medic of Konaha's hospital, trembling in fear.

Sakura remained passive toward the girl, she knew Hinata's aversion to needles was rather particular and she was the only one who ever was able to get close enough to touch her. Even at 25 years old she still held her childish aura, complete innocence surrounding her wide pale eyes.

"P-please, Sakura, is there n-no other way?" She stammered, fear cracking through the wall she had built.

Sakura shook her head, she knew this was going to be difficult but Hinata's nervousness was exponentially greater than usual, something that was going to make this a lot harder than it needed to be. Normally she would find someone to distract her to some degree, help her focus on her breathing but there weren't many on staff today and no one on this floor.

"I'm sorry, Hinata. This is the only way to ensure you won't get infected on your next mission. You know there are a lot of other cases of the viral staph infections in the other countries, we're the first to develop a vaccination. It's required for all ANBU to be vaccinated or else you won't be able to go on any more missions." She said sympathetically.

The girls worried expression didn't waver, not one bit as her eyes stayed fixed on the small needle still wrapped in plastic.

A head flashed by the window and caught Sakura's attention, whoever that was they were about to get the task of the day! She darted for the door and opened it swiftly.

"Hey!" She shouted before she could close her mouth- "oh. I'm sorry, Sasuke."

He turned to look at her, his usual bored expression written plain across his face. Sakura had long given up her hopes to be with him, she was happy with Naruto but she couldn't shake the pain she felt every time she saw Sasuke's face or heard his voice.

She floundered, she really needed his help. If Hinata didn't get the vaccination then she really wouldn't be allowed on missions, that wasn't a joke or scare tactic. It was tough for her to be in ANBU anyway since she was head of her clan but she had made it work so far. It would be a shame if she let one little vaccination stop her from living her successful dream.

"Ah, listen, Sasuke. I hate to trouble you but I need your help." She watched his eyes narrow at her, she turned away in response. His dark eyes used to make her melt, his gaze once held a powerful grip on her heart but now all it inflicted was pain. "Hinata needs to be vaccinated, I need you to distract her."

Sasuke's eyes stayed on her, annoyance not so present anymore. No one would know but the Uchiha had a small soft spot for the white eyed girl. She certainly wasn't an annoying fan girl like all the others his age, she was weak and shy but had developed and grown into a leader. He might even go as far as to say he respected her.

"Fine." He said simply.

Sakura brightened, if anything he would be able to hold her down for a few seconds. She led him into the room, Hinata was nearly in tears as she looked up at the pair coming in.

"S-sasuke-san?" She whispered, more fear creeping into her.

"He's here to help, Hinata!"

Hinata swallowed, nervously watching the man before her.

Sakura had begun unwrapping the needle, the crinkling plastic grabbing Hinata's attention caused tears to spring into her eyes. The pink haired girl wiped her patients arm with an alcohol pad earning a squeal and fresh tears to cascade down her cheeks.

Sasuke twitched, he had just finished admiring the woman and here she was acting like a child. Each whimper and cry irritated him more and more until finally he growled under his breath.

"For Kami's sake! You're a medic yourself, aren't you? And a tracker? A damned shinobi! You fought in a war, reshaped your clan and you're the first head in history to be in ANBU and here you are crying about a needle!" His words were harsh on the surface but in reality he revealed his admiration for the girl, effectively startling and confusing both females who watched him carefully.

Hinata sniffled once more and stared at the fisted hands in her lap.

"Sakura." She jumped. His voice was tense and maybe nervous? "On the count of three." She nodded.

"One."

"Two"

Hinata waited for three, her entire body tensed, eyes closed, waiting for the pain and death she was sure to feel but it never came. Sure she was being dramatic but who cares? Phobias are irrational fears! Keyword- irrational! When she felt rough fingers grasp her chin and tilt her face up, she didn't even have the time to be confused because just as suddenly Sasuke's face dipped closer to hers, his lips closing the distance and gently grazing her own trembling lips.

A touch at first that was the plan. Just enough to shock her, make her forget where she was and who she was with but it had a reverse effect instead. He meant to pull away but he couldn't, his eyes closed and they touched again. No, no, maybe it wasn't that he couldn't, that was dramatic and Sasuke wasn't one for drama. He didn't want to, that was more like it. He liked the feel of her soft lips, the way they trembled beneath his own from nerves and fear.

He pulled away after what seemed like an eternity, a very short eternity but long enough to leave his brain shaken, heart hammering and fingers itching to delve into her seemingly endless midnight locks.

She let out a shaky sigh, her eyes still closed, her brain fuzzy, her heart beating rapidly inside her chest. His warm breath gently fanned her lips as his presence slowly faded from her vicinity. He seemed so far away but a part of her knew he was still close by.

"Three." He breathed, standing straight once again.

His composure returned to normal as he watched Sakura stick the needle into Hinata's arm, she didn't flinch, wine or mumble. She was lost in her own mind. The needle came back out, the syringe was empty and Sakura sat it down on the empty tray beside her before grabbing a cotton ball to press against the minuscule wound, her face somber and confused as thoughts ran rampant in her mind.

"That wasn't so bad..." She whispered breathily, her eyes beginning to flutter open.

Dreamy lavender eyes met dark onyx orbs that stared back, after a few moments they narrowed as he turned his attention to the door.

"Don't be such a child, Hyuuga. Act like the respectable clan leader you are." He grumbled, making his way to the exit and slamming the door shut behind him.

Hinata's sleepy eyes blinked away the confusion and looked toward Sakura still standing beside her, brows furrowed, lost in thought.

"Hinata..." She mumbled in her own dream like state. "Hinata, I think... I think Sasuke is in love with you."

"W-what?!" Hinata cried, a furious blush rushed across her cheeks.

A sad smile spread across Sakura's face, her green eyes focused on Hinata.

"Hinata, I have never heard Sasuke praise someone, let alone a woman. He has feelings for you."

"O-oh! N-no, please, Sakura, I could never! After all he put you and Naruto-kun through..." Hinata said shaking her head.

"No, Hinata. He's a great person... He could probably use someone like you, someone to guide him and learn all the things he never learned as a child... Like... Like love."

Sakura's words were confusing for the smaller girl, the only one she'd ever loved was Naruto and it was obvious how that turned out. But she had never remotely considered Sasuke as an option in the love category, no one else in Konona matched the sun that had once lit up her days.

But then again people had always told her that the light of the moon gave her pallid skin an ethereal glow.


	4. The Girl Who Defies God

**The Girl Who Defies God**

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**Summary: There are those who pray for the day that the shining gates will open before them and welcome them into something greater than they could ever imagine but then there are those who stand tall shouting 'Hell No! We won't go!'**

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When eyes opened, a shrill white light washed over her. No surprise there. In the same white bed and sheets she had for the last 6 months. No surprise there either. The doctors were saying she was getting worse and that there was nothing they could do. They always talk when they think she's asleep but she's not. None of them know, except one person. One person who knew her better than anyone in her family, any of her friends, and he knew that she would pull through and it would be a surprise to everyone except him.

Today felt different. She couldn't place her finger on it but it did. Maybe it was the absence of a certain raven haired brooding man by her side, perhaps it was the lack of anything by her side? Her pale eyes scanned the room she was in and realization slowly seeped into her weak and sleepy form. There was nothing here. All was white and endless.

Her heart beat faster in her chest, wondering if the inevitable had finally happened. If she had finally died.

Her mind wasn't ready to go but her body had gotten so tired in the past few weeks. She always remembered the days before her diagnosis, she smiled to herself.

_If I ever got cancer...I would fight and I would win. _She remembered saying triumphantly.

He snorted beside her, a dark look in his eyes. _You won't have the energy to fight.. _

She didn't take it personally, not at all. After all he'd seen the true effects of the disease swiftly turn his mother into dust. Uchiha Sasuke had seen the horrid effects of cancer first hand as the disease took his mother when he was only 13 years old. He didn't talk about it much but he had said enough for her to know that it was unlike anything else he'd experienced during his lifetime.

When it was confirmed, she was diagnosed with cancer just like his mother, she was determined to win. She couldn't let the man she loved suffer another loss, he came off as a hardass and everyone had told her to stay far away from him, that he had a superiority complex and was mean but they were all wrong and many of them would have no idea how wrong they would be. He cared, in his own silent way but he cared a lot and would do anything for the people who understood that.

After that day, the starting line for one of the longest races she'd ever run, things were okay. Chemo went well and the already small tumors were diminishing but the doctors were concerned. The recurrence rate was high so they closely monitored her but in mean time the radiation was taking its toll on her. Her body became weak and frail, her hair had begun falling out so she cut it off in true cancer fashion and in the recent weeks it had started growing back. She was back to the short bob she had as a child.

Her body was ready to give but her mind was far from it, there were two finish lines in this race and she had her heart set on the furthest one.

Sasuke was a firm believer of mind over matter and that was something he had instilled in her in the recent years. Mind over matter. She was far from finished in this world.

Hinata had begun thinking of ways to get back to her real hospital room, how could she? She didn't even know where she was? She tossed her sluggish legs to the side of her bed and began to slide down.

"Where are you going, child?"

She stopped, her toes barely scratching the floor below her. Tile?

She didn't hear anything. There was no voice or sound. The message was words. Words visualized in her brain, scrolling past her sight line like an ad banner.

"W-what?" She asked aloud, daring to let the rest of her small feet touch the solid ground.

Again the words flitted in her brain, not making a sound, only making a picture within her mind. "I said. Where are you going, _child_?"

She frowned. "Home. I need to get back to... my family... and..."

"Your home is no longer in that realm. I have brought you here to bring you to your new home."

She had died. Or was dying. This white wasteland was purgatory. She was in between the world her mind and heart longed for but the release her body begged for.

The words came again despite her silence. "You know that your body will not last longer, child. You have fought your hardest. It's time to come home."

She shook her head, staring into the open expanse before her. Chanting _no, no, no, no _in her head. _I'm not ready. _

"A lot of people aren't ready dear but in the physical world it is the physical limitations that decide when you are ready, not your ethereal mind. Your body has cried, waved the white flag. It is time to go."

"I can't." She finally said, looking up at the limitless sea of white before her, directed to the speaker that she had now deemed God. "It's not time yet. They... He needs me."

"Hinata."

It was a voice this time. A quiet voice, shaking and ragged with emotion. She could see no face but she knew what it looked like. Her dear love, Sasuke, his onyx eyes rimmed with red. Not the angry red that flickered in his gaze but a puffy pink, signifying hurt and pain.

"Hinata, let go." He said.

Had her ears deceived her?

No... He was saying for her to let go. To move on. To give in to the whims of her physical body.

This wasn't her Sasuke speaking, this wasn't the man who taught her to overcome her own boundaries with sheer will and hard work. Something that was ironic in his personality being that he was a prodigy and made it all seem so easy. This must be the work of God, he must be trying to trick her into going with him. Trying to make her believe that this was what he wanted.

"I do not lie to my children." The words scrolled by once more. "I am showing you what he wants. You are the girl who lives to please others, you are the girl who lives for his will."

Was he mocking her? Was he telling her to give up everything she had worked for? That was not her way. That was not the way she worked. Everything she had done she poured her heart into and she had never quit anything, so why should she start now? Because Sasuke said she should? Because God said she should?

She had given up letting others direct her actions, her family had long left her to her own devices and it seems that sense of self Sasuke had built within her was coming back to bite him.

"I will not go." She said finally, her words barely a whisper, she squeezed her eyes shut and looked up. "I. Will Not. GO!" She shouted.

"I do not live for others. I live for myself and… and my love. I live for Uchiha Sasuke, he needs me and I need him. He will not tell me what to do and where to go, neither will you! I will not go!" Her soft voice was as fierce as it could be, her once weakened body fueled by adrenaline, she stood next to her bed with her small hands clenched into fists.

The silence was beginning to shake her, did she even have a say in this matter? He could take her regardless so what was all this for anyway? She squeezed her eyes shut, waiting and hoping that somehow through her disrespectful words she would be given another chance.

"You are the girl who lives for him."

In the darkness behind her closed eyes, the words shone brightly in her mind.

"You are the girl who will save him, just as he is the boy who will save you."

The pressure of keeping her eyes shut was beginning to let up but the words didn't stop rolling by in her mind.

"You are the girl who lives for him, the girl who defies God."

Once again, just as she had minutes ago, a piece of time that seemed like forever, her pale eyes lifted and the world around her came into view. The same white hospital bed, the same white sheets. No surprise there.

A puffy eyed Uchiha sat beside her, astonishment plastered all over his face. He was the only one. She was sure her family had long given up hope and even though Sasuke's heart was breaking he stayed right beside her. And that, that fact alone assured her that she had made the right choice.

She lived for him and even if she be damned by the heavens, she would continue living for him.

"I will not go, Sasuke." She whispered with a sigh, her tired eyes held what remained of her once bright life but determination had lined itself into her features.

It was so out of character for the man beside her, but if only for this moment he was able to avoid a rehash of unbearable pain he had barely lived through so long ago, and he had been given at least one break in his lifetime so for once, he smiled.


End file.
